THE GOMBE GOVERNMENT IS DEMANDING A REFUND OF N10 BILLION SPENT TO UPGRADE AN AIRPORT TAKEN OVER BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

The Gombe State Government claimed that it had spent over N11 billion on its airport, which was recently taken over by the Federal Government to fulfill dual commercial and military functions.

The announcement was made by the State Commissioner of Finance, Muhammad Magaji, while addressing journalists on the breakdown of the approved 2023 budget, which the Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, just signed into law.

“It is a 3.5-3.6Km runway airport,” remarked the Commissioner. It was built to international standards and was a costly venture. So, of course, since the Federal Government is taking it, it is only reasonable for the Federal Government to reimburse the state government for the money spent on constructing the airport, which is why the N10 billion has been captured.”

Muhammad Magaji further stated that it is only reasonable for the Federal Government to reimburse the State for the sum spent in bringing the facility up to international standards, which drew the Federal Government to take over the airport.

The Commissioner explained that the amount was included in the comparative study of 2022/2023 capital receipts, in which the Federal Government is scheduled to refund N10 billion, or 11.4 percent of total capital receipts.

He went on to say, “There is a Federal Government policy to take over airports from state governments across the country because airports are also classified as security assets in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.”

According to him, this is “because we do not only use them for commercial purposes, but they are also used for military purposes, and because of the strategic nature of Gombe, which is located in the center of the North-East and has an Airforce tactical Base, the Federal Government felt the need to take over the Gombe Airport.”

Remember that the State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, presented N173.6 billion to the State House of Assembly for the 2023 budget, but later signed N176 billion as adjusted and authorized by the Assembly.

Muhammad Magaji noted during the breakdown that the increment highlighted the beauty of democracy, saying, “The executive did its job and surrendered to the Legislature.

The Legislature has the authority to set the budget size, which it did.”